FLOLAN - PPH
FLOLAN THERAPY:
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a rare lung disease in which blood pressure
in the
pulmonary artery rises above normal levels for no apparent reason. It
is believed that the use of fenfluramine and dexfluramine has greatly
increased the numbers of patients with Primary Pulmonary Hypertension
(PPH) and PH. Both diseases involve both the heart and lungs, but unless
it's caused
by another disease, it appears to start in the lungs. The blood vessels that
supply the lungs constrict and make the walls thicken and unable to carry
as much blood. Like a garden hose with a kink in it, pressure builds up and
backs
up. The heart works them harder, trying to force blood through. Eventually
it can't keep up and there is less blood circulating through the lungs to
pick up
oxygen. Patient's become tired, dizzy, and short of breath. Swollen ankles
and legs, chest pain, and heart palpitations are also common symptoms. Without
treatment, PH is usually fatal within three years of diagnosis. In the United
States about 300 new cases of PH are diagnosed each year. The greatest numbers
are in women between the ages of 21 and 40. In about 6 percent to 10 percent
of cases, PH is genetic. Diet suppressants, cocaine, HIV and pregnancy are
thought to trigger constriction or narrowing in the pulmonary artery that
can
lead to PH.
FLOLAN TREATMENT: In 1995
the FDA approved the use of Flolan to treat PH. Flolan is man-made but acts like
a substance that occurs naturally in the body. It relieves the symptoms of PH by
dilating blood vessels, reduces clotting by keeping platelets from clumping,
improves cardiac output, and slows down the growth of smooth muscle cells. The
problem with Flolan is it has a short half-life of only a few minutes, so it
cannot be given in the form of a pill. It's injected intravenously 24 hours a
day through a catheter in the chest. A walkman-sized pump and medication
cassette is worn on the body or carried over the shoulder. The medicine must be
mixed daily and constantly kept cold. Side effects include jaw pain, leg pain,
nausea, lightheadedness, joint pain, depression, and a high risk of infection.
Patients must have a back-up pump on hand and an emergency supply of oxygen.
Even a brief interruption of medication can cause a rapid reappearance of
symptoms and possibly even death.
REMODULIN & UT 15: A
new drug, UT-15, is giving patients a much better option. UT15 is based on the
Flolan drug but with a chemical change that gives it a longer half-life and
makes it more stable at room temperature. The drug is administered through a
small tube placed under the patient's skin, with dosage controlled by a small
pump about the size of a pager. Like an insulin pump, patients have continuous
infusion of the drug but without the daily injections. The injection site is
changed every 24 to 72 hours. Unlike Flolan the drug does not have to be kept
cold. The most common side effect is pain at the infusion site and flushing in
the face. Studies show UT 15 is as effective as Flolan.
PPH DRUG THERAPY see below:
TRACLEER
FLOLAN
- TRACLEER
FLOLAN
BOSENTAN
REMODULIN
PROSTACYCLIN
TRACLEER
SITAXSENTAN
|
Legal Assistance
for PPH & Diet Drug Victims since 1997
